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August 31 2013

1:15 PM

NORTON, Mass. -- Sergio Garcia almost didn't play in the Deutsche Bank Championship.

But after poor performances at the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational and the PGA Championship, the Spaniard didn't want to risk his spot in the FedExCup Playoffs.

Garcia was 59th in the standings following last week's event and though he is all but guaranteed through to the BMW Championship in two weeks, he didn't want to take the chance.

The decision to play has worked out well so far.

Garcia shot a 7-under 64 Saturday at TPC Boston to get to 13 under and a one-shot lead halfway through the second leg of the Playoffs.

"I would've loved to play better at Bridgestone, PGA, finish a little bit better the last couple of weeks and been able to take a couple of weeks off," said Garcia, who is playing for the fifth straight week. "That would have been the ideal thing for me.'

Instead, he took advantage of the ideal conditions of a golf course that has yielded plenty of red through the first two days.

Garcia made seven birdies, an eagle and one double bogey -- despite the distraction of his group at one point being put on the clock.

He had just 25 total putts, including 11 one-putts, and hit all but four greens in regulation. The last of them came on the par-5 18th, where he drained an 18-footer for eagle.

"We decided to come here and make a little bit of an extra effort of playing obviously five weeks in a row, which I don't usually enjoy very much," added Garcia, who has also been hard on himself this summer since making an ill-advised joke at a European Tour dinner earlier this year.

"The summer has been tough. It's been a little bit difficult for me. But I'm trying hard to keep going, to keep doing the right things. At the end of the day that's the only thing I can ask myself for, give my best effort out there. Some days you feel better than others."